Club in freefall

I agree we have bounced back from relegation at the 1st time of asking once in our history. I dont fancy our chances already next season.

 

Why?

 

Because we're a training school for anything from players, Head Coaches, CEO's, Trainers, Physios, Turnstile Operators and Car Park Attendants - basically anything with a re-sale value. The only thing we won't sell-on is Whitey; whether that's due to his loyalty to BFC or because he has no re-sale value is open to conjecture.

 

Bang on. Whether it is wealthy stabilisers, profligate spenders, or just the financial rewards of a few years in the Prem, the money factor means we are a third-tier club now.

Look at the list of teams that otherwise would not have looked out of place alongside or below us (in terms of general stature and modern success) that have benefited from some serious cash: Burnley, Brighton, Brentford, Watford, Hull, Reading, Bristol City, Swansea, Preston, Cardiff, Blackpool, Millwall, Huddersfield, Bournemouth, Fulham. Add in Sunderland, Wigan, Wednesday, Portsmouth, Ipswich, Charlton, Bolton from the league below.

That's an entire league's worth of a clubs - and leaves out the Prem and Championship clubs that are legitimately larger than us. Add in those others and there are 45+ clubs that have a leg up on us in terms of money, stature, reach, investment, attraction.

The only way to meaningfully long-term compete with that was to have strengthened last year. Either we squeaked a promotion over the line and reaped the windfall, or ended up with a strong team ready to compete this year. This, to me, was a bigger long-term strategic failure than what happened this summer.

 

I don’t think you appreciate the gravity of the situation.

 

Unfortunately the answer to that is our recruitment policy.
We openly ‘sell’ the concept that we are a stepping stone.
“Come and join us and you will get noticed and get a bigger move”.

Sometimes that’s a positive as some people may not join otherwise, the downside is it tells others everything is for sale and can set the expectations of staff.
We are the DFS of this league where there is a permanent sale.

 

DFS reported pre-tax profits of £99.2m in 2021.

If only...

 

Brilliant, all we need is a magic money tree!